tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post2395063381601358516..comments2019-02-22T07:37:43.846-05:00Comments on Fiction University: Three Ways to Add Tension to a Scene During Revisions Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-13794885215106505222018-12-04T09:16:16.894-05:002018-12-04T09:16:16.894-05:00Oh good! Glad it was helpful:)Oh good! Glad it was helpful:)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-28650638592202616462018-12-03T15:49:55.721-05:002018-12-03T15:49:55.721-05:00Wow, some timely posts! I have a dreaded prologue...Wow, some timely posts! I have a dreaded prologue I was about to scrap (again), and the above is just what it needed.John Whitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-21683228845982388752014-01-16T06:36:13.332-05:002014-01-16T06:36:13.332-05:00Oh good, glad they helpful :) Oh good, glad they helpful :) Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-82578288410393207262014-01-15T12:53:01.763-05:002014-01-15T12:53:01.763-05:00I was sitting here with my shrunken manuscript (Da...I was sitting here with my shrunken manuscript (Darcy Pattison technique) thinking about what else I can look for in my ms. Your questions about tension were perfect. Thanks,.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-68518925561047856162013-05-02T06:25:38.483-04:002013-05-02T06:25:38.483-04:00Exactly. Perfectly summed up :)Exactly. Perfectly summed up :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-9906685420329712442013-05-01T22:03:50.623-04:002013-05-01T22:03:50.623-04:00So... keep the readers constantly on the edge of t...So... keep the readers constantly on the edge of their seats, not the characters. Check. <br />Topic idea - Your welcome. Glad I could help in return. :-)Lynn Burroughshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06481916397825236710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-81254790753784846342013-05-01T16:30:01.906-04:002013-05-01T16:30:01.906-04:00Lynn, go archives! According to agent Donald Maass...Lynn, go archives! According to agent Donald Maass--no, you can never have too much tension. That doesn&#39;t mean characters should be &quot;tense&quot; all the time, but that all-encompassing sense of conflict and things to learn or about to happen. You want readers to feel that if they skim, they&#39;ll miss something :) Great topic idea, thanks!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-26627599028174136462013-05-01T14:01:33.955-04:002013-05-01T14:01:33.955-04:00Janice, As always when I need advice your blog ha...Janice, As always when I need advice your blog has the answers I need. I was looking for info on tension levels and here are some excellent suggestions.<br />One question and a request: Is there such a thing as having too much tension? and how about a post on using micro-tensions. Thanks DelynLynn Burroughshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06481916397825236710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15631472495036738902013-02-11T14:01:28.054-05:002013-02-11T14:01:28.054-05:00Julie, you&#39;re welcome! It&#39;s like sound eff...Julie, you&#39;re welcome! It&#39;s like sound effects in a movie. It can add another layer of detail and cause unforeseen problems. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-4481741868842056772013-02-07T12:35:54.170-05:002013-02-07T12:35:54.170-05:00I don&#39;t give nearly enough thought to setting ...I don&#39;t give nearly enough thought to setting as a tension-inducer. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-18909428944285725992013-02-05T09:42:20.579-05:002013-02-05T09:42:20.579-05:00Tracy, those are some of my favorite conflicts, be...Tracy, those are some of my favorite conflicts, because there&#39;s rarely a clear &quot;right&quot; way. Even more fun when it&#39;s the bad guy and readers can see his point.<br /><br />Rubianna, I have a file like that myself :) Hope it helps you on future tough scenes.<br /><br />Melissa, thanks! Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-14371204244685056162013-02-04T09:32:20.570-05:002013-02-04T09:32:20.570-05:00Great post! :)Great post! :)Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08516493326566981116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-12474911272151939192013-02-02T13:57:24.186-05:002013-02-02T13:57:24.186-05:00Thanks for this great post. I am going to paste it...Thanks for this great post. I am going to paste it into a document for later. Sometimes I know there is something missing, but I am not sure how to add it in. This list gives me tons of ideas to complicate my MC&#39;s life. <br /><br />Rubianna Masahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03683787289610071946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-41581498366519234822013-02-01T17:40:27.294-05:002013-02-01T17:40:27.294-05:00Hi Janice,
This point jumped out at me, &quot;Even...Hi Janice,<br />This point jumped out at me, &quot;Even if two people want the same thing, they might have different ideas on how to get it.&quot;<br />I hadn&#39;t thought of that. <br />Now I must go and save this post.<br />Thanks,<br />TracyTracy Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11829493307148654507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-49462539435561312202013-02-01T13:31:21.869-05:002013-02-01T13:31:21.869-05:00Jennifer, most welcome! Good luck on those revisio...Jennifer, most welcome! Good luck on those revisions :)<br /><br />Shenna-kay, I love weather. I want to do a book set in extreme weather, I just haven&#39;t come up with a good story yet :) One day! LOLJanice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-21394930147494081932013-02-01T13:23:23.675-05:002013-02-01T13:23:23.675-05:00Great tips. I think weather isn&#39;t utilized eno...Great tips. I think weather isn&#39;t utilized enough sometimes.Sheena-kay Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17712661419116636671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67333093463382536822013-02-01T12:57:24.049-05:002013-02-01T12:57:24.049-05:00Very helpful post as I&#39;m in the process of rev...Very helpful post as I&#39;m in the process of revising and definitely have some scenes that need a boost in tension. I&#39;ll be referring back to this for ideas. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-89307965774908430132013-02-01T11:07:44.254-05:002013-02-01T11:07:44.254-05:00Kathrese, thanks! You might try looking at the lit...Kathrese, thanks! You might try looking at the little micro-tensions, too. Slightly evasive dialog, body language that doesn&#39;t match the dialog, stuff like that. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-6283324385190048652013-02-01T11:03:29.730-05:002013-02-01T11:03:29.730-05:00Loved this post. Last stages of first draft, and I...Loved this post. Last stages of first draft, and I&#39;ll use your suggestions as I go through the revision stage. Thanks!Kathrese McKeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00106779878418884268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-75324738422858850522013-02-01T11:00:00.972-05:002013-02-01T11:00:00.972-05:00Ron, another great tip (and one of my favorites). ...Ron, another great tip (and one of my favorites). Always fun when disaster strikes a character. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-66742789203378154252013-02-01T10:32:08.415-05:002013-02-01T10:32:08.415-05:00I struggle with this, too, and rely on revising to...I struggle with this, too, and rely on revising to add tension. I like to look at a scene and ask myself: what&#39;s the worst thing that could happen to this guy right now? And then make it happen. It sure does change the dynamics of the scene. Ron Estradahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16473774179937702258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-3200232181489321792013-02-01T09:08:30.138-05:002013-02-01T09:08:30.138-05:00Veronica, that&#39;s when it works best for me. Un...Veronica, that&#39;s when it works best for me. Until I&#39;ve done that first draft, I don&#39;t really know how things will turn out. Easier to see the arcs on a second pass.<br /><br />Rebecca, great tip! Love those ticking clocks :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-52757694072192792142013-02-01T07:11:20.361-05:002013-02-01T07:11:20.361-05:00Love your ideas. There are definitely scenes in my...Love your ideas. There are definitely scenes in my WIP that are blah. Now I know how to ramp it up. Another idea is to give your Protagonist a time crunch, so they&#39;re forced to make a rash decision. Thanks for the ideas.Rebecca Bellistonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10387850668547139178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-80597147671381959932013-02-01T07:01:08.720-05:002013-02-01T07:01:08.720-05:00Great points, Janice! It&#39;s never too late to t...Great points, Janice! It&#39;s never too late to turn up the tension, even during revision and edits.Veronica Sicoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03741318844378921184noreply@blogger.com